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Jerry Bruckheimer Had A Bad Day

When they are not building empires, brokering deals, or placating nervous shareholders, many members of the V.F. 100 stay busy assuaging a persnickety press. Sometimes their decisions are applauded. Occasionally they are derided. How are our New Establishment moguls faring today?

Good Day

• Ryan Kavanaugh (No. 42): Relativity Media had a great weekend after Couples Retreat (which Kavanaugh's company co-financed) beat dismal expectations and earned more than $35 million at the box office.

• Steve Ballmer (No. 17): After launching the Giorgio Armani-Samsung smartphone, which features Microsoft software, WWDlabelled the bombastic C.E.O. a budding "fashionista."Bad Day

• Jerry Bruckheimer (No. 26) A motorcycle-gang-member-turned-undercover-officer (named Big Chuck) is accusing the uber-producer of stealing his idea to create the TNT police show Dark Blue.

• Jeff Zucker (No. 16): NBC has many critics (and viewers) wondering what the network was thinking when it cancelled the popular Southland before airing even one episode of the cop show's second season. Many of those bitter about the decision are blaming it on the Leno effect.

Jury's Out

• Sergey Brin, Larry Page and Eric Schmidt (No. 5): Google has parted ways with company director Arthur Levinson amidst concerns that his presence on the board of Apple represented a conflict of interest. (Schmidt resigned from Apple's board for the same reasons a few months ago.)

• Warren Buffett (No. 4): A Wall Street Journal story suggested that, while Berkshire Hathaway survived the financial crisis intact, the company could suffer over fears of Buffett's age. (He turned 79 on August 30.)